Campaign launched in the UK to tackle stigma of feeling alone
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As Loneliness Awareness Week began today in the UK, a new campaign launched by Loneliness Minister Mims Davies is helping to tackle the stigma of loneliness and encourage people to speak out.
‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’ brings together charities, organisations and businesses including The Marmalade Trust, the Co-op Foundation, the British Red Cross, the Campaign to End Loneliness, Mind, Public Health England and the Jo Cox Foundation to help people talk about their feelings.
It comes as a new poll shows that not wanting to burden others is the main barrier to people talking about their feelings of loneliness.
The new YouGov research also shows:
People in cities surveyed had a higher incidence of reporting feeling lonely than the UK overall (56% v. 44%).
25% of adults have reported feeling lonely on weekends.
Over the weekend, the evenings are the most likely time for people to feel lonely (16%).
The survey also showed that young people aged 18-24 are most likely to say they have felt lonely (75%). In contrast, 63% of people aged 55 and over said they never feel lonely.
Previous research shows nearly three quarters (74%) of people said when they felt lonely, they didn’t tell anyone despite most having someone they could count on.
Minister for Loneliness Mims Davies said “loneliness is one of the biggest health challenges our country faces. It can affect anyone at any time and its impact is in line with smoking or obesity. But we can only begin to help one another if we feel able to understand, recognise and talk about it.”
As part of Loneliness Awareness Week, the government has also announced it is partnering with the Co-op Foundation to match-fund a new £1.6 million initiative that supports activity in community spaces to promote social connections.
The government is also investing £1 million in a Tech to Connect Challenge Prize. Applications are open from the 26th June 2019 to the 7th August 2019.
The Prize, which will be designed and delivered by charitable foundation Nesta, aims to find tech solutions to the problem of social isolation. Charities and social enterprises are urged to apply as up to £500,000 will be up for grabs to incentivise social tech innovation. The £1 million prize will be split into £500,000 of business support from Nesta with the other £500,000 being awarded as cash prizes to the best entrants.
